Thursday, August 18, 2016

If you have driven down Grandville Avenue lately, you may have noticed a bright and beautiful new addition to its scenery: a community mural created by teens from Grandville Avenue Arts & Humanities and the Hispanic Center of Western Michigan.

The mural, located at 912 Grandville Avenue, reflects the teens’ Latino heritage while images of the students reading symbolize their enthusiasm for education. This project was funded by the Michigan Humanities Council which supported two additional projects in tandem: a documentary capturing their creative process of designing the mural, and a skit presentation focusing on issues of racial and cultural identity.

On the evening of August 4th, friends and neighbors gathered to celebrate the mural’s completion. Attendees were all smiles as they enjoyed local food, admired the reimagined wall, and praised the artists and teens for their creativity and dedication to the commemorative project.

For years to come, the Roosevelt Park neighborhood will continue to celebrate the mural, as it is a symbol of neighborhood beautification and unity. As for the teens who created this art piece by hand, they can take pride in knowing they have touched the community in an inspiring, imaginative, and lasting way.